The Antioxidant Miracle: Put Lipoic Acid, Pycnogenol, and Vitamins E and C to Work for You

by Lester Packer; Carol Colman

• ISBN13: 9780471297680
• ISBN10: 0471297682
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-02-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Imagine there was an easy way you could keep your heart strong, your mind sharp, and your body youthful. Imagine this program could keep you young, improve your sex life, prevent cancer and heart disease, and keep your skin supple and wrinkle-free. And perhaps best of all, imagine this was something readily available at your local drugstore or natural food store. These and other benefits are the miraculous results of antioxidants. Lester Packer is the world's foremost authority on these natural healers. In The Antioxidant Miracle, he explains for the first time exactly how you can design a practical, personalized antioxidant program for disease prevention and optimal wellness. The Antioxidant Miracle is the first popular book to reveal the full range of healing benefits of lipoic acid, the most versatile and powerful antioxidant and nature's secret weapon in treating heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and liver disease. This breakthrough book also unveils the astonishing strength of the antioxidant network, the combination of vitamin E, vitamin C, lipoic acid, Co Q10, and glutathione that-when taken together in the proper amounts-battles disease and aging far more aggressively than supplements taken individually. After an accessible explanation of the science behind antioxidants, Packer and bestselling health writer Carol Colman show you how to develop your own state-of-the-art supplement regimen designed to keep your body strong, your brain at full speed, and your antioxidant network working at its peak. They include specialized supplement programs for smokers, diabetics, people with a family history of cancer or heart disease, menopausal women, athletes, and picky eaters. You'll find out how to incorporate antioxidant-rich foods easily into your diet and develop your own plan for smooth, healthy, young looking skin. And you'll discover the benefits of "booster" antioxidants-bioflavonoids like ginkgo biloba and Pycnogenol-and others like beta carotene and selenium. The Antioxidant Miracle can enhance and extend your life. Make the antioxidant miracle work for you! Advance acclaim for The Antioxidant Miracle * "Finally, a book by a renowned and active researcher that proves the value of nutritional supplements. The Antioxidant Miracle provides a shield protecting us from disease and ensuring health. The information in this book could save your life!"Julian Whitaker, M.D., Founder, Whitaker Wellness Institute and * Editor of Health and Healing. "Life is like a candle flame, and antioxidants make it burn brighter and longer. Lester Packer is the keeper of the flame. For those of us seeking to combat the debility and diseases of aging, The Antioxidant Miracle is an essential tool.-William Regelson, M.D., Coauthor of the New York Times bestseller, The Melatonin Miracle "Any health-conscious person will want to read The Antioxidant Miracle. It makes the understanding of these miracle nutrients easy to comprehend and utilize in his or her everyday life.-Earl Mindell. Author of The Herb Bible, The Vitamin Bible, and The Supplement Bible.

Author Biography

<B>LESTER PACKER</B>, Ph.D., is regarded as the world's foremost antioxidant research scientist. Head of the Packer Lab at the University of California at Berkeley, he is a senior scientist at the prestigious Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Carol Colman is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Melatonin Miracle and Shed 10 Years in 10 Weeks, among other successful books.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi	(4)
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	1	(4)
PART ONE: THE ANTIOXIDANT ADVANTAGE	5	(24)
1 The Antioxidant Miracle	7	(7)
Introducing the antioxidant network	9	(4)
Can you get enough antioxidant protection from food alone?	13	(1)
2 The Antioxidant Network in Action: Vitamins C and E, Co Q10, Lipoic Acid, Glutathione	14	(9)
The secret world of the cell	15	(1)
Free radicals	16	(1)
How antioxidants work with free radicals	17	(2)
The network antioxidants	19	(1)
Lipoic Acid	19	(1)
Vitamin E	19	(1)
Vitamin C	20	(1)
Coenzyme Q10	20	(1)
Glutathione	20	(1)
Monitoring the health of your cells	20	(3)
3 Free Radicals: Both Enemy and Friend	23	(6)
Free radicals are everywhere	24	(1)
Free radicals fast-forward the aging process	24	(2)
Free radicals and stroke	26	(1)
Free radicals and heart disease	27	(1)
Free radicals and chronic inflammation	27	(2)
PART TWO: THE MIRACLE WITHIN--NATURE'S SUPER ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE NETWORK	29	(86)
4 Lipoic Acid: The Universal Antioxidant	31	(23)
Is lipoic acid a vitamin?	33	(3)
Lipoic acid and cataracts	36	(1)
Lipoic acid pinch-hits for vitamin E	37	(1)
Lipoic acid and stroke	37	(2)
Lipoic acid protects the heart	39	(2)
A cure for "incurable" mushroom poisoning	41	(2)
Lipoic acid suppresses bad genes	43	(1)
Lipoic acid controls diabetes	44	(2)
Glucose can "AGE" you	46	(2)
Lipoic acid, AIDS, and immune function	48	(1)
Lipoic acid is a memory enhancer	49	(1)
Lipoic acid and radiation poisoning	50	(1)
Lipoic acid: the smoker's rescue formula	51	(3)
5 Vitamin E: An Extraordinary Antioxidant	54	(23)
Vitamin E is a cancer fighter	58	(1)
Vitamin E and longevity	58	(2)
Vitamin E and heart disease	60	(3)
It's never too late for vitamin E	63	(1)
The neglected vitamin E family members	64	(1)
Tocotrienols: the bodyguards	65	(2)
Gamma Tocopherol: the smoker's friend	67	(2)
Vitamin E enhances immune function	69	(2)
Vitamin E: hope for Alzheimer's patients	71	(2)
Exercise and antioxidants	73	(2)
Vitamin E helps save your vision	75	(1)
Vitamin E helps heal arthritis and inflammation	76	(1)
E is for everyone	76	(1)
6 Vitamin C: The Hub of the Network	77	(15)
The scurvy saga	79	(2)
How much C is enough?	81	(3)
Vitamin C and the cancer connection	84	(2)
Vitamin C is for collagen	86	(1)
Vitamin C: the cold fighter	87	(2)
Vitamin C and your cardiovascular system	89	(1)
Diabetics need more C	90	(1)
Vitamin C and cataracts	91	(1)
7 Coenzyme Q10: The Heart-Healthy Antioxidant	92	(13)
Co Q10: a possible cancer aid	98	(4)
Co Q10 rejuvenates the brain	102	(1)
Co Q10 and healthy gums	103	(2)
8 Glutathione: Nature's Master Antioxidant	105	(10)
Glutathione gives your cells a fighting chance	108	(1)
Glutathione turns off the inflammatory response	109	(1)
Glutathione: the body's detoxifier	110	(1)
Glutathione rejuvenates immune function	111	(1)
Glutathione: an antiaging antioxidant	112	(3)
PART THREE: NETWORK BOOSTERS	115	(48)
9 The Flavonoids: The Healing Power of Plants--Ginkgo Biloba and Pycnogenol	117	(16)
Flavonoids and the nitric oxide connection	120	(1)
Ginkgo biloba	121	(1)
Flavonoids promote good circulation	122	(1)
Flavonoids: treatment for impotence	123	(1)
Flavonoids are a brain booster	124	(1)
Flavonoids are a natural anti-inflammatory	124	(1)
Pycnogenol: the pine bark miracle	125	(2)
Flavonoids protect against heart disease	127	(1)
Flavonoids strengthen the immune function	128	(1)
Flavonoids and chronic fatigue syndrome	129	(1)
Flavonoids slow down aging	130	(1)
Flavonoids and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder	130	(3)
10 The Controversial Carotenoids: Alpha Carotene, Beta Carotene, Cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Lycopene, and Zeaxanthin	133	(9)
The rise and fall of beta carotene	136	(3)
Pizza is an antioxidant: lycopene	139	(1)
Carotenoids and better vision	140	(2)
11 The Selenium Surprise	142	(6)
Selenium and your heart	143	(2)
Selenium and the AIDS connection	145	(1)
Selenium: the cancer fighter	146	(2)
12 Fulfilling the Antioxidant Miracle: Achieving Optimal Health	148	(15)
Preventing heart disease	149	(3)
Preventing cancer	152	(3)
Keeping your brain young	155	(3)
Slowing down the aging process	158	(5)
PART FOUR: THE PACKER PLAN--MAKING THE ANTIOXIDANT MIRACLE WORK FOR YOU	163	(43)
13 An Antioxidant Feast: Food Is Powerful Medicine--From Apples to Winter Squash	165	(20)
Apples	168	(1)
Berries	169	(1)
Carrots	170	(1)
Citrus Fruits	171	(1)
Cruciferous Vegetables	172	(1)
Dried Fruit	173	(1)
Garlic and Onions	173	(2)
Greens	175	(1)
Red Grapes and Wine	175	(2)
Sesame Oil and Seeds	177	(1)
Soy Foods	177	(2)
Spinach	179	(1)
Sweet Potatoes	180	(1)
Tomatoes	180	(1)
Tea	181	(1)
Turmeric	182	(1)
Walnuts	183	(1)
Winter Squashes	183	(2)
14 The Packer Plan: Your Supplement Regimen	185	(12)
The basic network antioxidant cocktail	186	(2)
Your Basic A.M. Supplement Regimen	187	(1)
Your Basic P.M. Supplement Regimen	188	(1)
Special instructions	188	(2)
Select the Best Vitamin E	188	(1)
What You Need to Know about Lipoic Acid	189	(1)
Select the Best Vitamin C	189	(1)
Special needs	190	(4)
Cigarette Smokers and Secondhand Smokers	190	(1)
Diabetics	190	(1)
Athletes	191	(1)
Menopausal Women	191	(1)
People at High Risk of Cancer	191	(1)
People at High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease	192	(1)
Picky Eaters	193	(1)
Questions and answers about the Packer Plan	194	(2)
15 The Packer Plan: Antioxidants for Healthy, Beautiful Skin	197	(9)
An antioxidant feast for your face	201	(2)
Topical Vitamin C and Your Skin	201	(1)
Vitamin E and Your Skin	202	(1)
For an added antioxidant boost	203	(3)
Pycnogenol Cream and Gel	203	(3)
Afterword: Toward a New Understanding of Health	206	(2)
Appendixes	208	(22)
A Resources	208	(1)
B Saas Fee Declaration	209	(2)
C Sample Profiles	211	(4)
D Vitamin E Is Nature's Master Antioxidant	215	(15)
Primary Sources	230	(5)
Supplementary References	235	(14)
Index	249